OXFAM: women in politics may help promote social issues

December 21, 2012 - 18:00 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - OXFAM Armenia in partnership with “Caucasus” Social Research Center carried out a research project aiming to study and reveal the gender-sensitive peculiarities of 2012 RA National Assembly elections. The main findings of the research project have been summarized into the “Participation for Change” publication.

On December 21, the presentation of the “Participation for Change” book and a roundtable on research findings were held, with representatives of political parties, NGOs, research and scientific centers and mass media attending.

Research revealed data which came to prove that the increase of number of female MPs in the would lead to a higher level of consideration and attention towards issues relating to women, children and vulnerable layers of population, social and healthcare problems, as well as to the humanization of politics and decision-making processes.

Armenian parliamentary elections demonstrated that defining at least a 20% gender quota in the Electoral Code did not ensure the desired indicators. Women MPs constituted only the 10.7% of the overall number of MPs in the 5th convocation of National Assembly. Experts claim that the solution to this problem lies in setting the minimal threshold of gender quota as 30% in the Electoral Code and fixing the application of gender rotation principle in the proportional electoral lists.

The research team drew the conclusion that the political route adopted by the Armenian government is still insufficiently gender sensitive. The situation can be improved if the Law on Equal rights and opportunities is adopted, with the priority included in the action plan of Eastern Partnership Armenia Platform, OXFAM press service reported.

Oxfam’s mission is to reduce poverty and build a future free from the injustice of poverty. Present in Armenia since 1994 Oxfam implements various humanitarian and development programs in around 165 distant rural communities by closely collaborating with the government, more than 10 local non-governmental organizations, local self-governance bodies and regional authorities.